A common format for data are as a series of points with associated data. To import such data, the user selects File|Import|Import Points... to display the Import Points dialog box. The dialog box has two tabs: Controls and Data. Typically, the user sets the values on the Controls tab before switching to the Data tab to specify the data that will be imported. On the left side of the Controls tab is a list of data sets for which data can be imported. The data sets listed depend on where the data will be Evaluated at (elements or nodes), their View direction (top, front, or side) and the Number of (X, Y, or Z) formulas. These three choices are specified with radio buttons on the right side of the Controls tab. There are also options to specify the column and row instead of X and Y and to specify the layer instead of a Z formula. The user also specifies whether the imported objects Set values of intersected nodes or elements or Set values of nodes or elements by interpolation. The names of the imported objects will be based on the Root name specified by the user. These options are explained in greater detail in the explanation of the Object Properties dialog box. The data will be imported either as a single object if the Import as a single object with multiple sections check box is checked, or as multiple objects. ModelMuse can usually handle a single object with multiple sections more efficiently than multiple objects.
The user can import data for the CHD, DRN, GHB, RIV, WEL, and HOB packages in MODFLOW and some observations in the MODFLOW 6 Observation Utility with the Import Points dialog box. The user can also import Footprint Wells in Footprint projects. However, importing data sets and features can not be done simultaneously. To import MODFLOW features, the user must first set the Number of (X, Y, or Z) formulas to One or Two and then select the Feature that is to be imported. If parameters have been defined for that feature, the Parameter can be set to one of them. The data related to the selected feature will appear on the Data tab.
Once the user is satisfied with the Controls tab, the data to be imported are specified in the Data tab. The Data tab has a table in which the data to be specified are entered. The first two to four columns of the table are reserved for the coordinates of the data points. The remaining columns are used for the data to be imported. When importing data sets, the columns for the imported data can be rearranged by clicking down on a column header and dragging the column to a new position. The user can enter the required data into the table manually. When entering data manually, the user specifies the number of rows in the table in the edit box near the bottom of the Data tab. Another way to enter the data is to read them from a tab-delimited file or to paste them from the clipboard. In a tab-delimited file, each value is separated from the next value by a tab character. Each line in the file represents a separate data point. To read the data from a tab-delimited file, the user clicks the Open file button and selects the file from which the data are to be imported. When reading data from a file, blank lines and lines starting with "#" are skipped. To paste the data from the clipboard, put the data in a spreadsheet program, select the cells that hold the data, and copy them to the clipboard. Then the user goes back to the Import Points dialog box and selects the cell in the upper left corner of the space where the data belong. Pressing Ctrl-V on the keyboard will paste the data. If required, the number of rows in the table will be increased to accommodate the data that are pasted from the clipboard. Once the data have been entered into the table, the user presses the OK button to import the data.
When importing boundary conditions or head observations, there are two ways to arrange the data to be imported. In the first method, each row in the table on the Data tab that defines a new point will also define the start of a new object. Values for multiple times for a single object can be defined by leaving the cells in the table that define the location of a point empty.
In the second method, each row in the table defines all the data for a new points and data for multiple times are specified by specifying the number of times to be imported prior to entering data into the table. If the data for an individual time period is not specified in a row, no data for that time period will be specified for that object.
When importing head observations in MODFLOW-2005 based models, the numbers used for the StatFlag correspond to those used in the UCODE and the Observation Name will also be the name of the object.
See also:
Import Gridded/Mesh Data dialog box
